Wednesday, 21 January 2015

Casey here. So I have something pretty awesome for you guys today. Now I am obsessed with a new YA novel thats just been released in the last couple of weeks! its called Vendetta By Catherine Doyle. When it comes to revenge, love is a dangerous complication.With a fierce rivalry raging between two warring families, falling in love is the deadliest thing Sophie could do. An epic debut set outside modern-day Chicago. When five brothers move into the abandoned mansion in her neighbourhood, Sophie Gracewell’s life changes forever. Irresistibly drawn to bad boy Nicoli, Sophie finds herself falling into a criminal underworld governed by powerful families. As the boys’ dark secrets begin to come to light, Sophie is confrontedwith stinging truths about her own family, too. She must choose between two warring dynasties – the one she was born into, and the one she is falling in love with. When she does, blood will spill and hearts will break.

This book was amazing! and today I have the author answering some of my questions! so without further or do! here we go:

So how did this story come about?

I had the idea for Vendetta when I was falling asleep one night and letting my mind wander. I was picturing this old haunted mansion, and in front of it there were five boys hidden in shadow. I was looking at them from across the street, through someone else’s eyes, and I just knew I wanted to tell their story!

Nic & Luca (OMG) did you base these characters on anyone you know?

Haha (OMG I KNOW)! These characters are, alas, not based on people I know, though if they were, I probably wouldn’t say so because it might get me in trouble ;)

A lot of people are saying once they’ve read it, that they get a Romeo and Juliet feel from it. Did Shakespeare’s play inspire you?

Not initially. I was just thinking about how to make a good story, and there’s nothing more enticing than forbidden love and some good old family rivalry! By the end I knew it echoed the basic theme of Romeo and Juliet and I was more than happy with that, but the way the story will ultimately progress will be quite different to the Shakespearean play.

Let’s talk about Luca. He’s a pain in the butt, but girls can’t seem to fall for him. Can you tell us any secrets we don’t know about him yet?

As will be revealed further in book two, I can tell you that Luca was born on the same day his grandfather, Gianluca Sr. a.k.a. the Capo di tutti capi (“the boss of all bosses”) was murdered. Gianluca Sr. was a very powerful and dangerous man. He did not suffer fools and was not laboured by a conscience. Because Gianluca Sr. spent his last hour on earth bonding with his grandson, Luca was named after his grandfather. From that day onwards Luca was expected to become just as ruthless and fearsome as his grandfather when he grew up. It was expected that he would carry on the legacy (violence and power included) and give the family back what had been taken from them. For that reason, Luca feels an extraordinary amount of pressure to be someone that perhaps he is not comfortable with being. Between that and the freedoms his twin Valentino has been denied because of their complicated birth, Luca has a lot of weight on his shoulders.There will be some alternate POV scenes from the boys’ point of views a little later in the year, so keep an eye out for Luca’s one if you want to know a little more about how he thinks! He’s not so bad really!

Your most favourite scene to write?

The scene in the trees during the movie night at Rayfield Park!

Your least favourite scene to write?

The scene after the house party when Sophie is walking home. That was tough to write.

We love your cover! What do you think about it? and what’s it feel like to be a published author?

I love it too! At first, I was unsure about having people on the cover, but the way it’s done is so classy and beautiful. It’s a real throwback to Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo and Juliet, a movie I LOVE, and I really like that the cover of Vendetta echoes it. And of course, I completely adore the sprayed edges.